CVE-2024-13919

Okay, here’s a remediation/mitigation strategy in Markdown format based on the provided vulnerability information:

Vulnerability Remediation/Mitigation Strategy: CVE-2024-13919 - Laravel Reflected XSS

1. Vulnerability Description:

  • Vulnerability ID: CVE-2024-13919
  • Affected Software: Laravel Framework
  • Affected Versions: 11.9.0 to 11.35.1 (inclusive)
  • Vulnerability Type: Reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
  • Description: The Laravel framework versions between 11.9.0 and 11.35.1 are susceptible to reflected cross-site scripting. This vulnerability occurs due to improper encoding of route parameters displayed in the debug-mode error page. This means that a malicious user can inject JavaScript code into a URL parameter. When the application encounters an error and displays the debug page, the injected code is executed in the user’s browser.

2. Severity Assessment:

  • CVSS Score: 8.0 (High)
  • Impact: A successful XSS attack can allow an attacker to:
    • Steal user cookies and session tokens, gaining unauthorized access to the application.
    • Deface the website.
    • Redirect users to malicious websites.
    • Inject malicious content into the website.
    • Potentially perform actions on behalf of the user without their knowledge or consent.

3. Known Exploits:

  • While the specific exploit code is not provided in your vulnerability description, the nature of reflected XSS means a proof-of-concept exploit could be constructed relatively easily. An attacker could craft a URL containing malicious JavaScript within a route parameter. The target would need to click on this specially crafted URL or be redirected to it. If the application then throws an error and displays the debug page with the unsanitized parameter, the JavaScript would execute.

4. Remediation Strategy:

The primary remediation is to upgrade your Laravel installation to a patched version that addresses this vulnerability.

  • Upgrade Laravel: The recommended solution is to upgrade to Laravel version 11.35.2 or later. These versions contain the necessary fixes to properly encode route parameters in the debug error page, preventing the XSS vulnerability. Use the following command: composer update laravel/framework

5. Mitigation Strategy (If Immediate Upgrade is Not Possible):

If you cannot immediately upgrade to a patched version of Laravel, implement the following mitigation steps:

  • Disable Debug Mode in Production: CRITICAL: Ensure that debug mode (APP_DEBUG=true) is DISABLED in your production environment. Debug mode should only be enabled in development or testing environments. This significantly reduces the attack surface, as the vulnerable error page will not be displayed to end-users.

    • In your .env file, set APP_DEBUG=false.

  • Input Validation and Output Encoding (Defense in Depth): While the fix in Laravel addresses the immediate issue, always practice robust input validation and output encoding:

    • Input Validation: Validate all user inputs, including route parameters, to ensure they conform to expected formats and do not contain potentially malicious characters.
    • Output Encoding: Always encode data before displaying it in HTML. Use Laravel’s built-in Blade templating engine and its escaping features ({{ ... }}) to automatically escape output and prevent XSS. Specifically, be extra careful when displaying route parameters in error messages or other output.
    • Example (Blade Template): {{ $parameterValue }} (This automatically escapes the $parameterValue). If it’s raw html, it will need to be sanitised using {{!! $parameterValue !!}} after being sanitised using a library like HTMLPurifier.

  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to detect and block potentially malicious requests, including those containing XSS payloads. Configure the WAF with rules that look for common XSS patterns in URL parameters.

  • Monitor for Suspicious Activity: Implement robust logging and monitoring to detect any unusual activity, such as unexpected errors or attempts to inject malicious code.

6. Testing and Verification:

  • After applying the upgrade or mitigation steps, thoroughly test the application to ensure that the vulnerability has been properly addressed. Use a penetration testing tool or manually attempt to inject XSS payloads into route parameters to verify that they are properly encoded and do not execute.
  • Review your application’s code to identify any other areas where user input is displayed without proper encoding and address those vulnerabilities as well.

7. Communication and Awareness:

  • Inform your development and operations teams about this vulnerability and the remediation/mitigation steps.
  • If you have a public-facing application, consider informing your users about the vulnerability and the steps you are taking to protect them.

8. Long-Term Prevention:

  • Establish secure coding practices and training for your development team to prevent XSS vulnerabilities in the future.
  • Implement regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities proactively.
  • Keep your Laravel framework and all other dependencies up-to-date with the latest security patches.

Assigner

  • sba-research <1e3a9e0f-5156-4bf8-b8a3-cc311bfc0f4a>

Date

  • Published Date: 2025-03-10 10:15:14
  • Updated Date: 2025-03-10 17:15:35

More Details

CVE-2024-13919